


Santa, Bring Me the One I Need

by Hepzheba



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alive Hale Family, Alternate Universe - Human, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Bottom Stiles Stilinski, Christmas, Christmas Miracles, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Getting Together, Happy Ending, M/M, Meet the Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-24
Updated: 2014-12-24
Packaged: 2018-03-03 08:00:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2843867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hepzheba/pseuds/Hepzheba
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek's tired of spending Christmas alone so he wishes for someone to keep him company, just over Christmas. Then he meets Stiles, who might not be completely real.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Santa, Bring Me the One I Need

**Author's Note:**

> I originally wrote this for the Sterek Haven Secret Santa but it got a bit angsty in the middle, nothing big but as the giftee did not want angst I didn't want to give them this one. So I wrote another one which soon will turn up as my work, at the moment the author is anonymous. I still wanted to post this one though.
> 
> The title is from one of Mariah Carey's best Christmas songs ([All I want for Christmas](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXQViqx6GMY)) though the original lyrics go "Santa, won't you bring me the one I really need" but I thought that was too long. 
> 
> A huge thanks to my forever faithful beta, Beth.
> 
> Happy holidays!

The coffee shop is unusually crowded that afternoon when Derek steps inside. He brushes some snow off his shoulders and looks around, trying to find a seat. He considers taking his coffee to go but spots an empty table by the large windows when he’s just gotten his cup in his hand. He hurries over there, almost tripping over someone’s bag on the floor. He shrugs off his coat before sitting down in the seat. He picks up his tablet and is lost in his work for quite some time until the loud clearing of someone’s throat makes him look up. He’s met by a pale face dotted with moles, pink, plush lips and brown eyes twinkling from behind a pair of thick-rimmed glasses.

“Is this seat taken?” The guy gestures at the chair at the other side of the small café table. Derek shakes his head and makes a go ahead-gesture with his hand.

The guy puts his cup and muffin on the table before shrugging off his coat, hanging it over the back of the chair before pulling off his red beanie and red, matching scarf. Derek tries not to ogle as broad shoulders in a plaid shirt are revealed. The guy’s brown hair is flat on his head before he tousles it up a bit with his fingers. Derek wonders if it’s soft and thinks it would look pretty much the same if Derek dragged his fingers through it or maybe holding the guy’s head in place as Derek ravished his mouth… 

Derek’s eyes definitely don’t fall to the guy’s jean clad crotch just before he sits down. He was just looking straight ahead, it’s not his fault the guy’s crotch happened to be there. He quickly stares down at his tablet, trying to remember what he was doing before the guy interrupted him. The guy’s too young for him, probably still a teenager even. Way too young.

Derek expects the guy to let him get back to work, he’s shared table with strangers before and none of them have ever even tried talking to him. His sister says it’s because his murderous face – “I know it’s just your resting face, Der, but others don’t know that. It’s only natural being afraid of things that could possibly kill you.”

The guy surprises Derek though. 

“You come here a lot?” he asks and Derek arches an eyebrow at him. The guy flushes and snickers at his own words. “Sorry, I haven’t been here before so I was wondering what was good and if there’s something I should stay away from.”

“I usually just get coffee,” Derek admits and the guy’s shoulders sag somewhat, as if he’s disappointed Derek didn’t start talking about all the things he should try out. “My sister likes their cupcakes though,” he supplies and he’s not quite sure why. Maybe it’s because of the way the guy’s face lights up.

“Yeah? Not the muffins?” he gestures at his own chocolate muffin too.

“I’m sure the muffins are great too.”

The guy smiles at him and Derek feels his own features relax somewhat. The guy plucks a large piece from the muffin and puts it in his mouth, sucking on his fingers slightly with his eyes closed. He makes a low, throaty moan and Derek can feel his ears heat up at that sound that goes straight to his dick.

“You wanna taste?” the guy asks and Derek shakes his head, not trusting his voice. The guy grimaces. “Right, strangers, afraid of Ebola and all that.”

Derek snorts.

“I doubt you have Ebola. From what I’ve heard the people that have gotten it have been in Africa or Spain. You don’t look like you’ve seen the sun in ages.”

Derek regrets his words the moment they’ve left his mouth. He’s always saying things that others consider rude, always being too blunt. Well, he did enjoy his few minutes with the guy.

The guy surprises him again, because he doesn’t look offended at all. 

“I could be working at a hospital with treating someone with Ebola,” he smirks.

“Do you?”

“Nah,” the guy smiles brightly at him, plucking another piece of muffin into his mouth.

The guy doesn’t supply where he works and Derek doesn’t ask. They’re only strangers exchanging pleasantries at a coffee shop. And if Derek’s been secretly imagining to bend the guy over the table no one has to know.

“So are you going to ask me out or what?” the guy asks.

Maybe Derek’s secret, lingering looks weren’t secret at all. He feels his cheeks flush and look down at the table.

“You’re too young for me.”

“I’m twenty-four,” the guy says indignantly and maybe that’s a bit older than Derek thought but still too young.

“I’m thirty-two,” Derek says and looks up at the guy. He doesn’t look bothered by this at all.

“Age is just a number on a piece of paper,” he shrugs.

“A number that can make things illegal.”

The guy looks unimpressed.

“Dude, I haven’t been illegal for six years!”

“Don’t call me dude,” Derek says instead of thinking of how the guy is not illegal. Maybe a date wouldn’t be so bad? The guy seems to be able to keep up with him and keep the conversation going and if at the end of the night he comes with Derek home, Derek wouldn’t mind. It’s not like he thinks they have any kind of future anyway.

“What should I call you then?”

“Derek.”

“Derek,” the guy smiles and Derek wonders how his own name would sound falling from the guy’s lips in praise with his head thrown back as Derek fucks into him.

“What’s yours then?”

“Stiles.”

“Stiles? What kind of name is that?”

Again with the rude remarks. Stiles looks amused rather than offended though.

“A nickname. My real name is a monstrosity and if I went by that one people would call me He who must not be named.”

Derek snorts at that and Stiles looks delighted at the fact that Derek picked up on the pop culture reference.

“Dude, I’m so glad you got that reference. My friend never gets my references. It’s like he grew up in a cave or something.”

“I used to read Harry Potter for my sister when she was younger,” Derek says and Stiles smirks.

“Yeah, right, just admit that you love the books.”

Derek smiles and shrugs.

“The books then, not the movies.”

“God, no, not the movies,” Stiles agrees.

“Are you free this evening?” Derek asks. It’s five thirty, almost evening already. Stiles’ blinding smile makes something ache in Derek’s chest.

“I’m free whenever you want me,” he says and his dark eyes make Derek certain of the double innuendo in that.

“Movie and then dinner?” Derek asks and Stiles smiles and chugs the last of his coffee.

“Lead the way.”

Derek smiles and shoves his tablet into his bag before standing up to pull on his coat.

“You want the last piece of muffin?” he asks and Derek lets Stiles feed it to him, his finger lingering on Derek’s lips for just a second and disappearing just when Derek’s decided to be daring and lick them. Stiles pulls on his red scarf and beanie along with a pair of matching mittens with white reindeers. Derek frowns at the reindeers; there are two of them, one mounting the other.

“Are they…?”

“Fucking, yeah,” Stiles smirks and Derek’s surprised by the laugh falling from his mouth at that. 

“They both have antlers,” Derek states and Stiles’ smirk grows bigger, and a bit flirtatious.

“They’re gay, obviously.”

He takes Derek’s hand, seeming to have no problem with doing so, and leading him out of the coffee shop.

“Obviously,” Derek confusedly echoes.

 

They see some superhero movie that Stiles seems to love – no making out in the movie theater this night (not that Derek has ever made out in a movie theater and it would be quite embarrassing if he did it at age thirty-two). After the movies they go to a small restaurant with low lights. Stiles’ eyes seem almost amber in this light. He’s talking animatedly about superheros and TV-shows and asks Derek about his family before talking about something else again. 

“I’m sorry, I’m rambling,” Stiles says and Derek wonders how far down his neck the flush goes.

“Don’t be, I like it.”

“You do?” Stiles looks surprised at this and Derek wants to stay by Stiles’ side forever and always listen to his ramblings until Stiles is no longer surprised that Derek listens and likes it. “And you keep up with what I’m saying?”

Derek nods.

“Huh,” Stiles looks even more surprised by this. “No one ever does.”

“I do,” Derek says and it reminds him of wedding vows which is something he definitely shouldn’t be thinking about. Not ever, but especially not now. 

“I like you too,” Stiles smiles shyly, looking at Derek through his lashes, and Derek’s breath hitches. 

“God, you’re gorgeous,” he blurts out and Stiles laughs and reaches out his hand across the table to entangle their fingers.

“So are you,” he whispers.

“Do you-? Would you like to come with me to my place?” Derek asks. They haven’t had dessert yet but Derek can’t wait to see that pale body on his bed. He wonders if maybe he’s too eager. “I have ice cream.”

“Well, then, I can’t say no to ice cream,” Stiles laughs and raises his hand to get the check.

Derek insists on paying and Stiles lets him at last.

“I’m paying next time,” he grumbles as they leave and Derek smiles at the implication that there will be a next time. He hopes that it will be many next times.

They take a cab back to Derek’s place, sitting in the backseat, holding hands, but not touching otherwise. Derek thinks of kissing Stiles there, he’s kissed people before in the backseat of cabs. But those times it’s been with people he’s picked up from clubs. It’s felt cheap and left him feeling just as empty as his bed the next morning (not that he ever wanted his hookups to stay with him). He doesn’t kiss Stiles in the backseat of the cab.

The moment he’s locked the door behind them in his apartment Stiles shoves him up against the wall and kisses him. Stiles is a great kisser, he kisses with his whole body, hands holding Derek’s head in place as Stiles ravishes Derek’s mouth. When they break apart they’ve managed to get off their coats and Stiles’ beanie but he still wears that ridiculous scarf – Derek notices that there are reindeers fucking at both ends of it as well.

“Ridiculous,” he mutters as he tugs the scarf off Stiles, almost choking him in the process.

“Easy there, big guy, I’m not going anywhere,” Stiles whispers against his lips as he expertly unbuttons Derek’s shirt. He shoves it over Derek’s shoulders and then goes still. Derek looks up at him from where he’s been tugging off Stiles’ plaid shirt. Stiles is staring down at chest as if he’s never seen another man’s naked chest before. Derek feels self-conscious and wonders if he should’ve kept up with shaving his chest even if he didn’t have a girlfriend nagging him about it. 

“Stiles…?”

“Wow,” Stiles breathes out, as if Derek’s words woke him up from some kind of dream. “Dude, you look amazing. Like… Fuck. I can’t think. I knew you’d be ripped but… fuck.”

Derek steps close to him again, cups his cheeks and kisses him. Stiles quickly responds and Derek shoves Stiles’ shirt off before tugging off his t-shirt. 

“I know I don’t look like-” Stiles begins but Derek shuts him up with a kiss.

“You’re gorgeous,” he says and lets his hands roam down Stiles’ chest, it’s not as well-defined as Derek’s own is, but still muscular with a dark patch of hair below his bellybutton. Derek pinches a pink, already hard nipple, making Stiles moan loudly. There’s a flush spreading down Stiles’ chest and Derek knows that if he rubbed his stubble against Stiles’ skin it would pink up quickly. He can’t wait to do just that.

He steers Stiles towards the bedroom, not stopping the kissing or the touching. When they reach the bed, Stiles falls down backwards on it and Derek tugs off his jeans – ridiculously tight and tented at the crotch. Stiles is wearing black boxers underneath and Derek definitely has a thing for guys in black, tight boxers. He’s glad he himself is wearing a new pair of black boxer briefs instead of some old ones that used to be white but have ended up with the black laundry just one time too many and now are some kind of gray. He pulls off his own jeans and crawls over Stiles, bracing himself on his arms on either side of Stiles’ head as he kisses him. The only parts of their bodies that meet are their lips and Derek can feel the arousal coursing through him. Suddenly Stiles’ legs are on either side of his hips, pulling him down and he groans against Stiles’ mouth as their cocks meet, even if it’s through their underwear. Stiles breaks away from the kiss gasping.

“Fuck, Derek, I-”

“Yeah, I know.” Derek mouths at Stiles’ neck as they rut uncoordinatedly against each other, just trying to find enough friction for release even though Derek knows he won’t be able to come like this. 

“Can I bite you?” he asks, “maybe leave a mark?”

It’s a kink he has, one he’s ashamed of because leaving hickeys is something high schoolers do, not grown-ups. He’s never really done it to anyone, not after his most serious girlfriend got angry at him for sucking a mark into her skin – it wouldn’t even show when she was wearing clothes.

“Yeah, no breaking skin,” Stiles pants. He extends his long, pale neck for Derek to kiss and bite at. Derek doesn’t leave marks on his neck where people could see it, but he kisses Stiles’ neck hard, almost bruising. Stiles is arching up against him, gasping and moaning, his hands tugging at Derek’s hair, scrambling over his back and across his chest as Derek kisses down his chest, sucking a marking right next to his left nipple before taking the nipple into his mouth. Stiles makes a sobbing sound above him.

“Derek, fuck, please, I want you to fuck me.”

“Yeah,” Derek whispers into Stiles’ skin. 

Derek would like to take his time preparing Stiles, maybe make him come with his fingers alone, but now’s not the time. Stiles is even more impatient than Derek is, thrusting down on Derek’s fingers.

“You want to turn around?” Derek asks as he rolls on a condom.

“No, like this, I want to see your face.”

Derek rarely fucks people like this, it’s too close, too personal. He thinks he wouldn’t want to have it any other way with Stiles as he positions himself between Stiles’ thighs and slides in slowly. When he’s inside Stiles pulls him down so he’s probably crushing Stiles but Stiles doesn’t seem to mind only kissing Derek hard. When Derek starts to move the kiss breaks, neither of them having the coordination to keep kissing. They mostly pant into each other’s mouths, gasping and moaning. Stiles is louder than anyone Derek has ever been with. He’s rambling praises to Derek, Derek’s dick and to god along with just moans that pull Derek even closer.

“Stiles, I’m close,” Derek gasps against Stiles’ neck. He feels his balls tighten and it feels so great, but he doesn’t want it to be over, he wants it to go on forever.

“Yeah, come on, come, fuck, Derek, yeah,” Stiles rambles and pushes up against Derek. Derek gets his hand in between their bodies, jerking Stiles in time with his own thrusts until Stiles’ body stills, clenching around Derek. Stiles moans long and loud as he comes between them. Derek groans into Stiles’ neck at his own release. 

They stay like that for a few moments until Derek pulls out of Stiles and rolls off him before tying off the condom, hoping it lands in the bin when he throws it in the direction of it.

“Fuck,” Stiles exhales shakily and Derek turns to look at him.

Stiles’ hair is flat on his forehead and his skin flushed and glistening with sweat. He turns to smile at Derek and Derek smiles back. 

“I think that might have been the best sex I’ve ever had,” he confesses and Derek grins at him.

“Yeah, me too.”

“You have something to clean this up with or do I have to use some of your clothes?”

Derek snorts and turns to rummage around in his bedside table to find some paper towels.

“Always prepared,” Stiles snickers and cleans the come off his stomach while Derek does the same to the come he’s gotten on his belly.

Derek doesn’t know what to expect when they’re both clean, maybe that Stiles will get up, get dressed, and then Derek will never see him again. It’s most likely, it’s what he would’ve wanted with anyone else.

Stiles smiles at him as he settles in against the pillows and the frowns at Derek.

“This your side or something?”

Derek shakes his head.

“No, it’s just-”

Stiles flushes and swallows.

“Oh.”

He sits up and Derek wonders what he did wrong.

“You want me to go,” Stiles states, it’s not a question.

“No,” Derek sits up and puts his hand on Stiles’ arm. “I want you to stay.”

“Are you just saying that because I-”

“Because I really want you to stay,” Derek interrupts.

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Okay.”

Stiles settles down against the pillows again and Derek shuffles over until he’s close enough to lie with his head on Stiles’ shoulder. Stiles rearranges them so Derek’s lying on his arm.

“Should’ve known you were the cuddly kind,” Stiles snickers.

“Shut up,” Derek mutters but doesn’t move away.

 

Derek wakes up to feeling warm and loose-limbed the next morning. He shuffles over trying to find the source of the warmth in his bed, but is only met by empty sheets. They’re still warm from another body but Stiles is gone. Derek swallows hard and tries to repress the disappointment. He thinks of staying in bed for at least a couple of days when he hears the distinctive sounds of someone rummaging around in his kitchen. He wonders if it’s Cora who’s broken into his apartment, again, or maybe burglars. He’d prefer burglars at the moment. He pulls on his boxers from last night despite it feeling rather disgusting, he opts to take a shower before going back to bed to stay there for a few days. 

When he comes out of his bed room he can see Stiles in one of Derek’s button-down shirts and a pair of Derek’s boxers. They’re the once-white-now-grayish kind but they don’t look ridiculous on Stiles at all.

“Good morning,” Stiles chimes and waves at Derek with a spatula. 

Derek walks up to him and hugs him from behind, kissing the side of his neck once, twice.

“Morning,” he says as he watches as Stiles flips the pancake he’s making.

“I hope you don’t mind the liberty I took,” Stiles says and Derek shakes his head. “Do you have any plans for today?”

Derek shakes his head. He did plan to work, but he can do that some other day. 

“Me neither. Want to go skating?”

Derek nods an okay, trying to not show how much he’d want that. So maybe he’s a sucker for doing romantic things on Christmas, so sue him.

“I’ll have to warn you though, I suck.”

“I’m not that good either,” Derek admits and Stiles smiles and kisses his lips before continuing making pancakes for them. 

They eat the pancakes before taking a long shower together. Stiles borrows underwear and a t-shirt from Derek before pulling on his own jeans and plaid shirt.

At the ice rink they’re ridiculously cute, Derek knows he’d hate himself and Stiles if he was one of the onlookers. They never let go of each other’s hands, mostly because when Derek did once Stiles fell on his ass. It starts to snow when they’re skating and Stiles throws his head back, catching snowflakes on his tongue. His cheeks and nose are red from the cold and his eyes are sparkling. He looks so beautiful with his head thrown back that Derek just has to pull him close and when Stiles lowers his head, Derek just has to kiss him. 

“Get a room,” someone calls and they break the kiss, snickering at each other.

When Stiles has had enough of the skating they return the borrowed skates before buying hot cocoa with whipped cream. Stiles laughs when Derek gets cream in his beard before licking it away. 

Derek is sad to see that it’s almost evening again and they should probably part. Stiles looks up shyly at Derek.

“Could I spend another night at your place?” he asks and Derek nods, almost so fast he gets a crick in his neck. Stiles beams at him. 

“I should get some clothes maybe?” Stiles asks, “and then come to your place?”

Derek nods again.

“We can order pizza,” he says and Stiles nods.

It takes them ridiculously long time to part, pressing kisses to the other’s lips and it’s no until the cab driver they’ve hauled over for Stiles honks at them that they actually do part.

“See you later,” Stiles presses another kiss to Derek’s lips and then he gets into the cab.

Derek feels like running home, running and screaming and dancing from joy. He’s never felt like this before and he knows it’s fast and he knows he should take it slow but he’s thirty-two and has two divorces too many in his past, he doesn’t want to take things slow, he wants romance and family – his own family in his own home, not the one he shares with his sisters and parents – and he wants it with Stiles. God, does he want Stiles. He really hopes Stiles feels even close to the same Derek feels.

 

When Stiles comes over a few hours later Derek’s surprised – but not at all displeased – that Stiles has a large bag on wheels with him. He looks kind of embarrassed.

“I’m sorry, dude, when I got home my apartment was flooded and I can’t stay there when they work on it. I can stay with my friend but I thought…”

“No, it’s fine,” Derek says and takes Stiles’ bag from him to take it into the bedroom. “I hope you don’t mind sharing a bed though.”

Stiles smirks and kisses him.

“Oh, I’m counting on it.”

They order pizza later than Derek had originally planned but he got sidetracked by Stiles spread out on his bed. 

“Just so you know, I don’t make pancakes every morning,” Stiles warns as he curls up under Derek’s arm on the couch as they’re watching some Christmas movie about miracles and such. 

“Pity, that’s the only reason I’m keeping you,” Derek jokes, but tightens his arm around Stiles in case the other would try to get away. He has no thoughts of ever letting go.

 

They fall into an easy rhythm; it’s so easy Derek wonders when the other shoe will drop. It does, of course.

His friends come over one night and they’re all quite taken by Stiles, he can tell.

“He’s awesome,” Erica says as she and Derek are in the kitchen to fetch some snacks. “He’s exactly your type.”

Derek nods because Stiles is. Both awesome and his type. 

“Can you keep a secret?” Erica lowers her voice, turning away from the others that can still see them over the breakfast bar but they’re busy discussing rules of Trivial Pursuit.

“It’s still really early,” Erica says and Derek frowns, first thinks Erica is talking about him and Stiles but then he notices her hands on her stomach.

“Really?” he asks, his grin almost splitting his face in two. 

Erica nods, “the stick turned blue this morning!”

Derek hauls her into a hug and she laughs. That at least gets the other’s attentions but Boyd, Erica’s husband whom she’s been trying to get pregnant with for three years quickly turns Stiles and Isaac’s attention back to the game. 

“I’m so happy for you,” Derek says as he puts her down.

“I know it’s really silly, but remember when we were out and made wishes to that Santa?”

Derek nods, he remembers the night. They’d all been drunk and the Santa had humored them, letting them have one wish each.

“I wished for a baby,” she admits, “and I think Boyd did too.”

Derek opens his mouth to ask if she believes in Santa now, but she beats him to it.

“I’m not saying Santa’s real, just- I wished for a baby, Derek. We’ve been through so many different therapies, we’ve tried everything and then when we almost give up I make a wish to a Santa and I get a baby.”

Derek doesn’t know what to believe. He remembers what he wished for. He wished to not be alone for Christmas – had he been sober he never would have dared voicing that concern. The others hadn’t heard his whispered wish to the Santa, or they would’ve made fun of them. Stiles laughs loudly at something Isaac says and Derek’s attention is brought towards him.

“I’ve never seen you like this with someone before,” Erica says quietly. She hugs him before taking the snacks to the others in the living room. Derek follows her slowly.

Her words don’t stop nagging him though, what if Stiles is just an answer to his wish? What if Stiles doesn’t really feel this way? Derek remembers wishing he wouldn’t have to be alone over Christmas, he even said that he just wanted someone over the holidays, that he didn’t care if they disappeared at twelve at night on Christmas day, he just didn’t want to go to his family’s home alone this year. 

Derek puts the thoughts to the back of his mind but they keep nagging him, even more so when Isaac calls him to reveal that he’s gotten a tenure and that he wished for that when they met that Santa a few weeks ago. 

Derek curls up against Stiles that night.

“What’s wrong, babe?” Stiles asks and puts away his book and his glasses to turn to look at Derek.

“Nothing,” Derek says, burying his face in Stiles’ chest. He loves Stiles’ smell. “It’s just- I think, maybe we’re moving too fast.”

He feels Stiles tense under him and he wants to take back his words. They’re true though, he thinks they’re moving too fast in the eyes of everyone else, but he doesn’t want them to move at any other pace. He would marry Stiles tomorrow if Stiles asked him.

“You want me to… I can go live with my friend until my apartment’s-”

“No. It’s not- I feel like I should feel we’re moving too fast, but I don’t. I- I’ve never met anyone like you. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted.”

He looks up at Stiles, who smiles down at him.

“You too.” He presses a quick kiss to Derek’s lips. “I feel like I wasn’t alive before I met you, as if I was nothing and then suddenly you were there and I- I existed.”

Derek nods and presses his lips to Stiles’. He knows what Stiles means, he’s felt a bit like that, but what Stiles means is that he didn’t exist. Stiles probably doesn’t know it, but Derek does. He knows that Stiles is only there because Derek wanted him to be, knows without a doubt that Stiles will be gone when the clock strikes midnight on Christmas day.

The words he wants to say most of all get stuck in his throat so he kisses Stiles until tears no longer threaten to run down his cheeks. 

He whispers the words later, when Stiles is asleep and Derek is curled around his back, his lips against the soft skin of Stiles’ neck.

“I love you.”

 

When Derek asks Stiles if he wants to come with Derek to Derek’s family on Christmas Day Stiles happily accepts. He doesn’t even think about it and Derek knows it’s because he’s only there for Derek. And for that reason he also knows that he shouldn’t be surprised about the fact that Stiles is an awesome gift shopper. Derek himself always has trouble getting gifts for his friends and family – save from Erica who sent him an invitation to a google document with her wish-list in early October, and she’s been adding stuff to it ever since. Stiles, though, finds just the things Derek hopes his friends and family will like. Derek’s so happy to walk around hand in hand with Stiles in the mall that he doesn’t even care about all the other people being there nor the carolers that sing slightly off key in the middle of the mall.

They go to a café and order silly, Christmas flavored lattes and baked goods in Christmas flavors – something Derek would never do if Stiles hadn’t been there. He doesn’t even mind the sweet latte, not when Stiles looks up through his lashes and smiles at him. 

The days up till Christmas are the best days Derek’s ever had. Stiles convinces him to buy a Christmas tree – “a real tree, Derek, not a plastic abomination” – and Stiles makes it look like Santa threw up in his apartment, but Derek doesn’t care. He looks at the white lights in his Christmas tree that he can see from the couch where he’s sitting with Stiles curled up against his chest – their usual position on the couch – and all he feels is immense joy.

The words of love are getting harder and harder to keep in. 

Derek also wants to tell Stiles that the guy’s not real but he can’t, the words get stuck. Stiles probably wouldn’t believe him, he seems quite adamant about his own humanity even if he only ever refers to one friend, and never by name. He doesn’t say what he does for a living and Derek doesn’t ask because he’s not sure Stiles would know either.

On Christmas Eve they go to a gathering at Erica and Boyd’s place and all of Derek’s friends love their gifts. Derek mouths a thank you against Stiles’ hairline while Isaac pretends to gag.

“Seriously, you guys have taken the first place as most disgustingly cute couple now,” Isaac says.

“Shut up, you’re just jealous,” Stiles barbs at him and Derek smiles against his hair. He’s not been able to let go of Stiles at all that day, knowing that Stiles will disappear tomorrow night.

They make love that night, slow and tender and Derek whispers loving words in Stiles’ ear.

“I love you, I love you, I love you,” he whispers and Stiles moans as Derek thrusts deep into him.

“Yes,” he moans, “I love you too, fuck, Derek, I love you so much.”

Derek lies awake until the small hours of morning after that, holding Stiles close to his chest and wiping tears from his face while Stiles sleeps.

 

Derek isn’t surprised that his parents love Stiles, he knows that they would at least try to love anyone he’d brought home even if it had been an ex-convict in his late sixties. But their adoration for Stiles is genuine. When Derek’s sister Laura and her family arrive, the kids take an immediate liking to Stiles and Laura’s twins and Stiles manage to convince the others of joining in a snowball fight. Derek and Stiles end up on different teams and Stiles gets a competitive glint in his eyes. Derek is busy throwing snowballs at his dad when he sees someone running towards him in the corner of his eye. He just manages to prepare for the fall as Stiles tackles him into the snow. Stiles laughs, delighted and Derek shoves a handful of snow into his face, which makes Stiles splutter indignantly. 

“Sorry,” Derek laughs and brushes the snow away from Stiles’ face.

Stiles grins at him, face red and wet, and Derek can’t help himself but leans up to kiss Stiles. Stiles’ body melts against him and deepens the kiss.

“Gross!” Tyler calls out and throws a snowball at Stiles.

“Hey! Weren’t we on the same team?” Stiles pulls away from Derek to yell at the twin.

“That was me!” Dylan calls and throws a snowball at Stiles anyway.

“Why, you little-” Stiles scrambles up from Derek and starts chasing both twins, who squeal in delight.

Laura laughs and extends a hand to help Derek up from the snow-covered ground.

“He’s amazing with the kids,” she says and Derek nods, watching as the twins manage to tackle Stiles to the ground. “I’m glad you’ve found him.”

Derek nods, feeling his throat clog up. Laura claps his shoulder and walks inside along with her husband Jordan. Cora throws a snowball at Derek’s back.

“You coming, loser?” she asks and heads inside.

“Stiles!” Derek calls, “We’re going inside.”

Stiles waves at him, “we’ll stay out a while longer.”

Derek smiles and heads inside. His mom heats up some cider and they move to the living room until the twins and Stiles come inside. Stiles is smiling, his face flushed as he comes in. He puts his ice-cold fingers against Derek’s neck and laughs brightly when Derek jumps to get away from him.

“You’re ridiculous,” Derek says which sounds quite a lot like you’re amazing. 

He grabs Stiles around the waist and pulls him down in his lap and takes Stiles’ hands in his.

“I knew there was a reason I kept you around,” Stiles sighs and leans back against Derek’s chest.

“You wouldn’t last a day without me,” Derek mutters and Stiles chuckles.

“Right back at you, babe,” Stiles replies cheekily.

Derek swallows hard, knowing that in eight hours he will be without Stiles. He pulls Stiles closer and kisses his cheek.

“Let’s open presents!” Dylan squeals and the twins throw themselves at the floor in front of the Christmas tree, rummaging around in their search for presents with their own names.

Derek isn’t surprised at all that all his – and Stiles’ – gifts are well appreciated. Stiles is surprised when he’s handed gifts from not only Derek, but Derek’s family as well.

“You shouldn’t have,” he stutters.

“Of course we should,” Derek’s mom says. “You’re family.”

“Oh, wow,” Stiles breathes shakily, his eyes a bit shiny. Derek feels his own eyes burn as well and hugs Stiles closer to his side to press a kiss against his temple.

“I love you,” he whispers, just loud enough for Stiles to hear.

“I love you too,” Stiles replies, a bit louder, but the rest of the family has already turned their attention on the twins trying to take out Cora with their new dinosaurs – complete with horrifying roars from the twins and terrified screams from Cora. 

 

It’s close to midnight when Derek asks Stiles to come outside with him. The rest of the family – except for the twins who are asleep – are in the living room, watching some romantic Christmas movie. 

“What’s wrong?” Stiles asks as Derek leads them over to the porch swing. It’s cold to sit down but it’s just for a few minutes. He pulls Stiles to his side and breathes him in. He loves the smell of him. “What’s wrong, babe?” Stiles repeats, looking up at Derek with a frown. “You’ve been getting quieter and frownier this evening. Didn’t you like your present?”

“I loved it,” Derek chokes out the words. “I love you.”

“Then what’s wrong?”

“I- Fuck, I don’t think I can live without you, Stiles.”

Stiles is frowning at him, his brown eyes searching Derek’s face worriedly.

“You won’t have to. I’m not leaving.”

“But you are.”

“If that’s your way of breaking up with me-”

“No, I’m not,” Derek promises, cupping Stiles’ cheeks in his hands and brings their lips together. “But- I wished for you and you came, but you’ll be gone soon.”

“Derek, you’re starting to freak me out.”

“I’m sorry, I- I love you so much!”

Derek hears the clock striking midnight in the kitchen and kisses Stiles, pours everything he feels, all the love and tries to show Stiles just how happy Stiles has made him, even if it was just for a short period of time. He breaks the kiss, but doesn’t dare to open his eyes. The clock strikes one last time and Derek exhales shakily, knowing that when he opens his eyes Stiles will be gone. It’s quiet around him. Cold and quiet.

“Seriously, Derek, what’s wrong? What are you even talking about?”

Derek opens his eyes. Stiles is still staring back at him with a frown. 

Stiles is still there.

Derek picks up his phone from his pocket, knowing that the clock on that one is right. It’s one minute past twelve. 

Stiles is still there.

“Derek?”

“I thought… I was sure you’d be gone by now.”

Derek stares at Stiles, who snorts.

“You’re not getting rid of me that easily, buddy.”

“But…”

“Let’s go inside and you’re gonna tell me why exactly you’re freaking out.”

Derek obeys, a bit dazed because Stiles is still by his side.

Stiles laughs until he cries when Derek tells him about the wish and Santa. Derek glares at him from where he’s seated next to Stiles on the kitchen couch in the almost dark kitchen.

“Dude!” he wheezes and Derek crosses his arms over his chest. “I’m sorry, that’s just- it’s ridiculous!”

“It’s not,” Derek says. "You just showed up outside my door when your apartment got flooded and then you didn’t seem to have to do anything but be with me-”

“That’s because my friend-”

“Whom you’ve never mentioned by name,” Derek interjects.

“My friend Scott,” Stiles gives Derek a pointed look, “is busy being in love with his girlfriend. If I hadn’t met you I’d spend my time alone in my apartment. And when my apartment got flooded I’d have to bother him if I hadn’t met you. And I would definitely have bothered him. He’s too busy and I get that, I’m busy with you.”

Stiles takes Derek’s hand in both his and smiles at Derek.

“You never do anything at the days. Don’t you have work?”

Stiles gets something sad in his eyes.

“I was let go just a few days before we met, I thought you understood that I was unemployed and didn’t ask questions because of it.”

“I didn’t ask because I was sure you weren’t real.”

Stiles chuckles and kisses Derek softly.

“You’re ridiculous, you know that?”

“I’m starting to get that now, yeah,” Derek replies and doesn’t really understand why Stiles isn’t running the other way.

They sit silent for a few moments, Stiles smiling and shaking his head every now and then, probably thinking of the ridiculousness that is Derek Hale. Derek can’t even find it in himself to be sad because Stiles is still here.

“How come you could just come to my family for Christmas? Doesn’t Scott want to celebrate with you? Don’t you have your own family?”

Stiles shakes his head.

“Scott is celebrating with Kira’s family and Kira’s mom is terrifying so no thank you. I was going to go home to my dad – he lives in NorCal – but I couldn’t afford the plane tickets and then… then I met you.”

Derek smiles at Stiles, feeling ridiculously happy and in love.

“I love you,” he tells Stiles who smiles at him.

“I love you too. Even if you’re a bit slow on the uptake.”

“Shut up.”

“Make me.”

Derek does. Until Cora comes in to get some eggnog and then screams things about never eating by that table ever again. 

 

When asked by Stiles a few days later, Isaac admits that he didn’t really wish for tenure, he wished for a million dollars but thought tenure was kind of the same (it really isn’t, Stiles tells him). And apparently, Boyd didn’t wish for a baby, he wished for a playstation. Erica glares and vows to destroy the one she’d given him for Christmas.

Derek, at least, got exactly what he had wanted for Christmas this year.   

**Author's Note:**

> The idea for the reindeers on Stiles' scarf and mittens are from [this drawing by the wonderful Maichan](http://maichan808.tumblr.com/post/104237299337/artwork-for-its-free-and-always-will-be-fake) I take no credit for that hilarious idea.
> 
> Also, I've used the word ridiculous (or versions of it) 11 times in this story. Isn't that ridiculous? I love that word.


End file.
